Unfortunately I found it very difficult to get into this book. I think it was because everything about the characters, the environment, the social and political climate seemed somewhat opaque. There is a heaviness to the circumstances of the story, which I can appreciate, but the structure of the book made it difficult to remain connected. It read like light strokes of a larger more epic story. And I couldn't quite get into the use of the game of go to illustrate inner emotional turmoil etc. Too bad, I was excited to get to know a woman's mind through the strategic game of go. Sadly, I found even the use of the game as a sort of anchor in the story largely underdeveloped as a concept.